CRISTIANO RONALDO was not a happy boy after being hooked with 20 minutes left to play of Manchester United’s clash against Brentford on Wednesday night.
Ronaldo threw a strop after being substituted by Ralf Rangnick, something ex-United midfielder Owen Hargreaves doesn’t think the German boss will be doing again in a hurry.
Hargreaves, who spent four years at Old Trafford, also warned Rangnick that he ‘has to be careful’ when it comes to managing Ronaldo.
While on punditry duty for Optus Sport, Hargreaves said: “I don’t think Ralf will be taking Cristiano off again any time soon.
“Ronnie let him know, ‘Just keep me on, I’m fit, I’m probably the greatest athlete at 36 years old in the world’. He doesn’t want to be taken off.
“Rangnick has to be careful, because he has dropped the club captain Harry Maguire, Ronnie is on his side but he was frustrated that he came off, there is no need to take him off.
“You want to keep Cristiano on side if you can.”
Ronaldo stormed off the pitch in the 3-1 win at Brentford, reacting furiously to his number being held up.
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He then elected to sit on the steps near the dugout, rather than on the bench as he stewed.
Although speaking after the game, Rangnick contrasted Hargreaves and hinted that he wouldn’t be afraid to drag him off again, if it’s in the best interests of the team.
On the decision, Rangnick said: “The only reaction I got was him asking me, ‘Why me, why did you take me off?’. I said to him, ‘Listen, I have to take the decision in the interests of the team and the club’.”
He continued: “Cristiano was not happy. He’s a goalscorer, he would’ve wished to stay on and score a goal himself.
“But for us it was more important to be compact, to make sure we have enough legs and enough strong headers to defend their free kicks and set pieces.”
The drama comes amid reports that Ronaldo could LEAVE Manchester United at the end of the season.
SunSport exclusively reported that Ronaldo wants to be at a winning project, and failure to qualify for Europe’s elite competition could see him quit the club.
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